Timeless library that speaks volumes about frugal Queen
FROM the historic tomes on the shelves down to the writing desk and chair, these images suggest little has changed in the Queen’s home life in 40 years.
The Queen’s fondness for frugality was made apparent yesterday when she was photographed in the library at Balmoral meeting the incoming Governor General of Canada.
The books, including Sir William Fraser’s history of the chiefs of the Grant clan, are in the same position as they were in 1977 when the Queen was photographed with Prince Philip. It appears she has had her armchairs and sofa re-upholstered in green fabric – while the old fabric has cleverly been made into the cushion covers seen today.
The monarch’s desk and chair are the same, however, they have been moved to one side to make way for a Samsung TV. The latest photograph also shows some of the Queen’s favourite antiques, such as a gold mantlepiece clock and a wooden Newton’s cradle. A practical electric convection heater can also be seen, the likes of which can be bought for as little as £20 on the high street.